5 Ways The Prosperity Gospel Is Hurting Africa

"Gideon
Thuranira, editor of Christian Professional magazine, calls these men “churchpreneurs.”
They plant churches not because they have a burden to reach lost souls but
because they see dollar signs when they fill an auditorium with chairs."

When I came
across this article, it reminded me of a discussion I had with a friend some
time ago.

I had asked
the friend that, How come with the ever increasing population of Churches and
Worship centres in the country (and more especially in the urban centres) Crime and
Corruption rate has not dropped, but rather is on the increase?

My position
was that if more businesses and factories were opened just the way new
churches spring up all over the place, we would have less and less unemployed
graduates roaming our streets!

I'm not
saying that true Churches do not exist, but my point is that there seems to be
a "mass infiltration". Native Doctors and babalawo's no longer stay
in the bushes and evil forests, but now wear shinning suits and pose as Pastors
and Prophets! Jobless young men and failed businessmen seek to open a Church as
a last resort "employment opportunity" with the claim that they have
been "called" of God.

I know of
someone who left and closed down his thriving business and went to a "Bible
School" in order to become a Pastor believing that he was doing the right
thing. I chose to disagree!

The true
meaning and purpose of the Church is being usurped, warped and smeared by these
impostors and charlatans, and I think it's high time our society rid itself of
its gullibility and craving for "the spectacular", "Miracles,
Signs and Wonders".

J. Lee Grady
in his article identified 5 Ways the "Prosperity Gospel" is ruining
Africa.I’ suggest you read with an
objective, unbiased mind, taking off any religious spectacles...

Read
excerpts here:

5 Ways The
Prosperity Gospel Is Hurting Africa

By J Lee Grady

1. It is mixed with occultism. Before Christianity
came to Nigeria, people visited witch doctors and sacrificed goats or cows to
get prosperity. They poured libations on the ground so the gods would hear
their prayers. Today similar practices continue, only the juju priest has been replaced
by a pastor who drives a Mercedes-Benz.

I am aware
of a pastor who buried a live animal under the floor of his church to win God’s
favor. Another pastor asked his congregants to bring bottles of sand to church
so he could anoint them; he then told the people to sprinkle the sand in their
houses to bring blessings. The people who follow these charlatans are reminded that
their promised windfall won’t materialize unless they give large donations.

2. It fuels greed. Any person who knows
Christ will learn the joy of giving to others. But the prosperity gospel
teaches people to focus on getting, not giving. At its core it is a selfish and
materialistic faith with a thin Christian veneer. Church members are
continually urged to sow financial seeds to reap bigger and bigger rewards. In Africa,
entire conferences are dedicated to collecting offerings in order to achieve
wealth.

Preachers
boast about how much they paid for suits, shoes, necklaces and watches. They
tell their followers that spirituality is measured by whether they have a big
house or a first-class ticket. When greed is preached from the pulpit, it
spreads like a cancer in God’s house.

3. It feeds pride. This greedy atmosphere
in prosperity churches has produced a warped style of leadership. My Kenyan friend
Gideon Thuranira, editor of Christian Professional magazine, calls these men “churchpreneurs.”
They plant churches not because they have a burden to reach lost souls but
because they see dollar signs when they fill an auditorium with chairs. A
selfish message produces bigheaded opportunists who need position, applause and
plenty of perks to keep them happy. The most successful prosperity preacher is
the most dangerous because he can convince a crowd that Jesus died to give you
and me a Lexus.

4. It works against the formation of Christian
character. The prosperity message is a poor imitation of the gospel because
it leaves no room for brokenness, suffering, humility or delay. It offers an
illegal shortcut. Prosperity preachers promise instant results and overnight
success; if you don’t get your breakthrough, it’s because you didn’t give enough
money in the offering. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him;
prosperity preaching calls us to deny Jesus and follow our materialistic lusts.
There is a leadership crisis in the African church because many pastors are so
set on getting rich, they can’t go through the process of discipleship that requires
self-denial.

5. It actually keeps people in poverty.
The government of Malawi is currently under international scrutiny because of
fraud carried out by top leaders. The saddest thing about the so-called
“Cashgate” scandal is that professing Christians in the administration of President
Joyce Banda have been implicated. One of these people stole millions of kwacha (Malawian
currency) from the government and hid the cash in a teddy bear!

Most people
today in Malawi live on less than $1 a day, yet their leaders have been known to
buy fleets of cars and huge plots of land with money that was not theirs (Any
difference from what we have in Naija?). Sadly, the prosperity gospel preached
in Malawi has encouraged pastors and leaders to follow the same corrupt
pattern. As a result, God’s people have been financially exploited. When Jesus described
false prophets as wolves in sheep’s clothing, He warned us to examine their
fruit. Matthew 7:17 says, “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad
tree bears bad fruit” (NASB). What is the fruit of prosperity preaching?

Churches
have been growing rapidly in many parts of Africa today, yet sub-Saharan Africa
is the only region in the world where poverty has increased in the past 25
years. So according to the statistics, the prosperity gospel is not bringing
prosperity! It is a flawed message, but I believe God will use selfless, broken
African leaders to correct it.